MOVING THE DIVISIONAL GUNS
The 10.5cm leFH 18 family was normally towed by the Sdkfz. 11 3-tonne half-track Late in the war, the Wehrmacht began adopting the RSO (Raupenschlepper Ost: tracked prime mover – East) as a substitute. It was less expensive than the half-track, and there was hope that its fully tracked configuration would prove more suitable in muddy field conditions typical of the Russian Front. The RSO/03 version shown here in the upper illustration had a simpler cab with canvas top than the original pressed-steel body of the basic version. The 15cm sFH 18 was generally towed by the Sd.Kfz. 7 half-track that had an 8-tonne capacity. To make the howitzer better suited for towing cross-country, the barrel was usually disengaged and placed fully to the rear as shown here in the lower illustration.